THE OJIBWAYS OF ONIGAMING FIRST NATION CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF A WATER TREATMENT PLANT PROJECT

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OJIBWAYS OF ONIGAMING FIRST NATION, ONTARIO ( November 25, 2005) - The residents of Onigaming First Nation, today, celebrated the upgrade to their water treatment plant. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada provided approximately $4 million for this project which was contracted to United General Contracting of Thunder Bay.

Kenora MP Roger Valley announced the opening on behalf of the Honourable Andy Scott, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians.

“Providing clean and safe drinking water is fundamental to improving the living conditions of First Nations people,” said Mr.Valley.

The plant was designed by Keewatin-Aski Consulting Engineers of Sioux Lookout with project management by E. P. Friday Professional Engineer of Thunder Bay. The project consisted of building a 333 square metre addition to the plant. This addition contains pre-ozonation, two parallel slows and treatment units, a sodium hypochlorite disinfection system and an additional 142 cubic metres of water storage. The plant is sized to meet the needs of the community for the next 20 years. The addition ensures that the plant meets the Ministry of the Environment’s new Drinking Water Protection Regulations.

“These infrastructure improvements are very welcome in our community,” said Bob Kelly, Chief of the Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation. “We are pleased to see the addition to the plant that meets water regulations. Our residents can now look forward to a better standard of living,” he said.

The plant, commissioned on October 28, 2005, will be monitored by Anishinaabeg Kabapikotawanagag Resource Council and a qualified water treatment plant operator hired specifically to oversee the plant and to train the present operators.

 

For further information, please contact:

Natalie Pennefather
A/Director, Executive Services and Communications
INAC Communications
(416) 973-1294